Windows 7: "Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter" is missing

I used to see Wireless Connection 2 (Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter), but now it has disappeared.

I have tried netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=<name of network> key=<password>. However, this hasn't brought back the connection in "Network Connections".



How can I get it back?

Thanks in advance.

Just reinstall your Windows 7 approved wireless drivers and the Virtual mini port adaptor will reinstall with the drivers automatically.

The drivers do need to be Windows 7 approved in order to have the Virtual mini port adaptor which is only used to set up a hosted wireless network.

I have uninstalled my wireless network adapter, then restarted the computer. When I logged on, the driver for the wireless adapter was being installed automatically. At the end, it said "Failed". I went to Device Manager, and saw an exclamation mark beside "Broadcom 802.11g Network Adapter". After about 5 minutes, the exclamation mark disappeared, as if the driver automatically installed in the background.

When I look under "Other Devices", I saw "Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter_03". I right-clicked this device and chose to update the driver. Before it was installed, a message came up saying that the driver is not trusted. Anyways, I chose the option to still install the driver. Was this a good choice?

After the driver was installed, under "Network Adapters", I see "Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter #2". In the past, "#2" was not a part of the adapter's name. It used to say "Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter". Why is this so?

When I went into Network Connections, I see the Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter. However, my wireless adapter has the name "Wireless Network Connection 4" instead of "Wireless Connection", and the virtual adapter has the name "Wireless Network Connection" instead of "Wireless Network Connection 2". Why is this so?

How can I get everything back to normal?

Thanks.